As first aid trainer for the Police I have always stressed the importance of taking asthma attacks very, very seriously.

In the past our custody blocks have had ventolin inhalers stored safely for any prisoner to use if they asked for it

We have many many many asthmatic coming through.

We now have a new contract with a medical care provider called ""Primecare"" they have insisted we dispose of all ventolin inhalers and if a prisoners asks for an inhaler we have to call them out to administer (they can take two hours to arrive).

One of their staff has told us that if a prisoner has an asthma attack its too late for the inhaler!

As an asthmatic myself I am appalled by this attitude and when under stress I would desperately want my inhaler with me. failing that I would happily use any ventolin inhaler!!!! (as long as it was clean!)

I am sure all prisoners in custody feel the same

We are all worried that this change may cause massive problems

I understand that the inhaler is prescription only But! for someone not to have access to this if they request it?????

What are your thoughts?

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I would be concerned with them taking inhalers off people then the nurses not arriving for what could be a while. I could see people sueing now Man died in police. custody as the wouldnt let them have inhaler. But also there is also a slight thought that you dont know if that inhaler is actually ventolin. My feeling is that police should take inhalers away from them dispose of them but have a supply of new ones and ones priosioner has got a new sealed one thats theres then aslong as the person has come in with one.

Hello Bird thank you for your reply . If an arrested person has, on their person their own inhaler we would initially take it from them but make it available at their request.. under supervision.. What worries me is that, if a person did not have with them their own Ventolin we would no longer be able to offer them our own spare, emergency Ventolin inhaler (which we used to and was happy to do so) its the new private, paid medical company that are saying we can no longer do this and must wait for them to attend ..... I do think though your idea of having sealed inhalers is a good idea in order that we know what is in the canister.. Thank you